MIgrating the boot pool

[tweezerAT]

Hi there!

I'm using freeNAS/trueNAS now more then one year. My system has three internal HDDs as my datapool and one internal SSD. With freeNAS 11.x I was not able to use this SSD as bootdevice and system dataset together. So I've devided to choose two USB sticks as my bootpool.

With trueNAS 12.x I've read this is not recommended anymore. I've seen it possible now to use my SSD as bootpool and system dataset together. Is this correct? If yes, is there a simple way to migrate my bootpool to the SSD without loosing data?

I'm thinking about the following:

1. activate my data pool discs temporary as system dataset devices
2. delete the SSD
3. add the SSD to the bootpool and start the resilvering process
4. detach all USB sticks from the NAS

What do you think, could this work?

Greetings from Vienna!

Thomas

 

[Evertb1]

Hello Thomas.

First a point of attention. In the forum guidelines/rules there is a point about Posting To Get A Response. Forum members like to know what they are dealing with before they are able to give usefull help. Take some time to read it. It's really not unreasonable. Enough said.

I think you make life a bit more complicated then necessary. Don't bother with trying to migrate your boot pool. Just reinstall TrueNAS on your SSD. It is a safe and fairly quick job if you do it right. Now while your data will be perfectly secure while you are reinstalling, it's always sensible tou have a good backup if you love your data. That being said you could handle things this way:

First upload your current configuration file to a save place. Look in the GUI under:
System -->> General: click SAVE CONFIG
Your configuration will be stored automatically every day (see manual) but it's better to do it this way.

Then close down your system, remove the USB sticks, insert your installer and your future boot device, boot your system on the installer and start installing Truenas on your SSD.

After reinstalling and booting for the first time on your SSD, upload your saved Config (again use the GUI).

No need for exporting or importing your dataset or things like that. All your settings wil be there after loading the config.
The last time I performed this operation I was done in about 20 minutes.

A final advise: Try to use the installer of the same version of TrueNAS you are running now. Updates (if desired) can wait until your system is up and running again to your satisfaction.

 

[tweezerAT]

Hi Evertb1!

Thx for your answer. I'm sorry, I'll read the guidelines again. :) I should know it better, because I've been mod on a large german UBB several years ago. ;)

One thing I would like to know. For the moment I'm using my SSD for the iocage folder of trueNAS (System Dataset). So this folder and all its content I have to move manually, should I? Because the settings just include a dump of a database as I have seen.

Your way is much easier then mine, sometime I like to be a little bit to complicated ;)

Thomas

 

[Evertb1]

Hello Thomas. I am not very experienced in Iocage. When I started with FreeNAS I have experimented a little with it but it was not answering my needs at that time. My TrueNAS server is just storage. Al the other stuff I do on my ESXi server. But it should be possible to setup a new pool for your jails on your desired location and then export and import your jails. It could be that it must be done trough the CLI but I am not sure. Again, I am not very familiar with this but I have a vague recollection of some posts on this subject (just Google it or do an search on the forum). I recall that export and things like fixing the mounting points etc. Any way, I am sure it is possible.

 

[tweezerAT]

Ok, thank you. I'll have a closer look at the documentation. :) If it wont work, I think it's not a big deal to create the jails again. They are just doing very basic things. For example I've created one working like PiHole (without Grafana Dashboard). It should be easy to do the setup of this jail again. Primary my trueNAS is a storage device like yours for Timemachine and my RAW images.

So thanks a lot for your help! I'll report if my reinstalled succeeded. :)

Greetings from Vienna

Thomas